A Line In the Sand
by CharlieFenwick
Summary: Chapter 3 now up. An unfamiliar symbol found on an informant's body worries Professor Dumbledore. There was more to the backstory between Dolores Jane Umbridge and Minerva McGonagall than the books gave us. The story begins in 1951 with Aurors Tully McGonagall and Alastor Moody about to take down one of Knockturn Alley's biggest crime families. Not Pottermore compliant.
1. Chapter 1

August 1951

Tully McGonagall strolled casually through the second floor hallway of the Ministry of Magic. It was hot. This August was proving to be one of the hottest to sweep London in recent years. It was on days like this that McGonagall regretted wearing a muggle suit to the office.

"Morning," grunted Alastor Moody as he brushed past McGonagall. "Don't forget our meeting this afternoon."

Tully groaned internally. He had forgotten about the departmental meeting this afternoon. The Department of Magical Law Enforcement was on the verge of launching a large scale investigation into one of Knockturn Alley's most notorious crime families.

Inside his office his partner was stretched back, eyes closed, with her legs up on her desk. Her blazer was discarded on the floor and she was fanning herself with a file folder. Her face was perspiring and the humidity had caused her curls to turn into a frizzy mess. Despite extensive cooling charms the upper levels of the Ministry remained unbearably hot.

"Here you go," Tully announced as he threw a lumpy, brown paper bag at his partner. The two partners were supposed to be finalizing their presentation for the afternoon meeting. However, hunger and heat had overruled duty. An hour earlier Tully had left to take lunch with his fiancee. The lumpy bag contained his partner's unfortunate lunch.

"It's about time you got here" she said. She opened her eyes, pulled her legs off the desk, and sat up straight as she explained the details of the presentation to Tully. He listened with vague interest as he removed his suit coat and loosened his tie.

"What are you doing?" She asked sternly as she eyed his loosened tie. "This could be the biggest case of the decade. We've got to look presentable."

"Speak for yourself frizzy," McGonagall retorted as he straightened his tie. Without speaking a word there was a tiny pop and her curls were sleek again. She pulled a small compact mirror out of her desk drawer and ran her hand along one to check the quality of her work.

A soft knock came to the door and a young woman poked her head in the door.

"Sorry to barge in," said the Auror. "Alastor said you've got the file on the Malfoy real estate holdings."

"Yes I do," said his partner as she rummaged through her briefcase.

"Amelia," said McGonagall, "How certain are you that Urquart's going to authorize this?"

"I'm positive he will," she said firmly. "But I can't guarantee his superiors will agree to his proposed budget," she added.

Fifteen minutes later they were seated in a conference room on the third level. The table was full of a mismatch of Department of Magical Law Enforcement employees from a variety of departments and sub divisions. Amelia Bones and her partner Alastor Moody were from the organized crime unit. They sat next to Tully McGonagall who worked in the Auror Investigative Unit.

Tully had expected this to be a larger meeting. As he glanced around the table he realized he recognized everyone. He smiled to Moody's protege from the vice subdivision. Moody had made a good choice in Shacklebolt. He had proved invaluable during the department's investigation into the sudden booming black market trade that had plagued wizarding London in the last three years. Seated across the table were Vance and Scrimgeour from the Major Case Unit. Rounding out the group were Kenneth Yaxley, Antonin Dolohov, and Bilius Weasley, from the Hit Wizard Department. McGonagall had first met the three during a raid on Salvador Pinelli's brothel in Knockturn Alley. McGonagall knew if the Hit Wizard division was being consulted this was a good sign that the boys upstairs were going to spare no expense.

The conference room door opened and in came Commissioner Urquart flanked by Deputy Commissioner Thomas and Tully's partner. The took their seats and Tully heard a light click as the door was automatically locked.

"I'd like to remind you all that what we are about to discuss should be treated with the utmost secrecy," Commissioner Urquart said, "You are here because you're my people. I built this team and I trust you."

As the Commissioner continued his speech about "making a stand" against the growing crime in wizarding London Tully focused his concentration on the pitcher of water in the center of the table. Shacklebolt had conjured a the pitcher of ice water only moments earlier. Now it was covered in thick condensation. Tully sat back and loosed his tie.

"Miss Black if you would be so kind," the Commissioner said as he motioned for Tully's partner to begin the presentation.

"It has become apparent that our take-down of Salvador Pinelli was only the tip of the iceberg," she said as she motioned to the wall. What had previously been a blank wall was suddenly filled with pictures of witches and wizards, crime scene photos, and dates. All the pieces were connected with small bits of red string. "Commissioner Urquart tasked our unit with finding a way to break the Pinelli family's hold on the city. However, since Pinelli's arrest last year we suspect that new leadership has emerged from within the Pinelli circle."

Four of the pictures on the wall were suddenly illuminated. The first was of Niccolo Pinelli. He was Salvador Pinelli's brother but intelligence suggested he was still in Sicily. Also pictured was Declan Carrow. Carrow was employed by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement in the Justice Division. He had been the advocate responsible for putting Pinelli behind bars. The third picture was of Acario Malfoy.

"Malfoy's dealings are dark," said Yaxley, "His money's dirty but he's no crime boss." Recent intelligence backed Yaxley's opinion. Malfoy was indeed involved in dirty dealings. However, Malfoy's dealings were financial. They didn't involve the disappearances, violence, and murders that the Pinelli's were known for.

The woman in the final photo was Cordelia Elliot. Madame Elliot was the owner of several significant financial holdings including the Puddlemere United Quidditch team. The Elliot family had a history of shady business dealings but it had never been publicly linked with organized crime.

"If we take down the new leader of the Pinelli group it would create a power vacuum," said Vance, "There would be a power struggle."

"We don't want to remove the new lead," said Black. The room erupted into a frenzy.

"This is exactly the kind of perverse backroom political dealings that ruined the last administration," Moody growled.

"I understand the desire to protect stability within Knockturn Alley but I'll have no part of this," Weasley said firmly.

"I serve at the pleasure of the Minister not the mafia," Yaxley added.

A small knock on the door suspended the conversation. Commissioner Urquart waved his wand and the door opened. A tall man with messy dark hair entered.

"I'm sorry I'm late," he said set down his briefcase and stood across from Miss Black.

"Perfect timing Potter," Urquart said with a grin.

"Hello everyone," Potter said beaming. "I'm an advocate with the Justice Division," he added. "And apparently the only man foolish enough to agree to take down the Pinelli family once and for all," he continued with a growing grin. "With your help we can finally take out the not just the men on the ground but also the leadership. All of it. At once."

Moody shifted in his seat. Yaxley and Vance sat upright. Bones was smiling.

"You will find that the folder in front of you contains the proposal for a full scale investigation and plan of action to make the Pinelli family extinct," Urquart said. "Officially this committee does not exist."

"Sir," McGonagall asked, "Why isn't Bob Ogden here?"

"Ogden hasn't been included in this committee," Urquart said definitively. "I want to make it clear that I trust Ogden." Urquart paused as if debating whether to continue on or stop. "But I don't trust his staff."

Bob Ogden was a tough old wizard. As head of the Magical Law Enforcement Patrol Ogden's staff played a critical role in dealing with the criminal activity orchestrated by the organized crime families of wizarding Britain.

"At some point we will require the Patrol's services," Deputy Commissioner Thomas said. "However, we feel at this time it is better that Ogden be involved on a need-to-know basis. We suspect that the Pinelli's have men in Ogden's office."

Before adjourning, Commissioner Urquart requested that members of the committee refrain from engaging in relationships outside of those previously established. There were to be no inter-departmental gatherings, outings, or lunches. Tully and Moody exchanged looks. The two men and their partners frequently spent Friday nights at a small wizarding pub known as the Department of Drink. It was located near the Ministry and frequented by Ministry employees. It would be out of character to discontinue their weekly retreat to the pub. However, Tully wouldn't mind having Weasley or Yaxley join their night out.

On the other hand, he'd be perfectly happy to ignore the Potter bloke. Tully fought hard to keep his eyes open as Potter prattled on about some Ministry decree that would allow the team to engage in some undercover operations and what information obtained would be legally allowed in court. The heat was making it considerably harder to maintain his composure. The pitcher of ice water that had been conjured earlier sat untouched and now devoid of any ice.

"We'll meet again next Friday at seven to discuss phase one of the project," Miss Black said. "We anticipate it should take around three hours to get everyone up to speed." Tully had a deep respect for his partner's attention to detail but at times it could be overbearing.

The meeting adjourned with a sense of excitement. The Pinelli family had plagued the city for years. The recent uprising in violence and black market trading had been a drag on the wizarding economy.

Commissioner Urquart was right when it came to the secrecy surrounding his latest project. The Pinelli's were rumored to have infiltrated the department. If Urquart wasn't trusting the Patrol staff it meant things were bad. It felt reassuring to know that his gang, and most importantly his partner, were counted amongst Urquart's team.

Hours later as they walked out of the office and into the London heat Tully's thoughts drifted back to Urquart's words. As the four walked along the road to the pub they passed numerous coworkers. He nodded to Rajin Patil as they passed. Patil was a member of Patrol. Tully and Patil had coordinated on previous cases. They'd played Quidditch together at Hogwarts. Tully had been invited to Patil's wedding. It shook Tully deeply to think that Patil might be working on Pinelli's payroll.

"How are your wedding plans coming along?" asked Amelia politely pulling Tully from his thoughts.

"McGonagall hasn't got any say," Miss Black said with a grin. "She won't let him."

"She is a lady. I'd rather not talk about her with the likes of you," Tully replied as they entered the pub.

They chose a booth in the back. An Auror was never comfortable with his back to the door. Amelia was seated next to Tully. Moody was across the table with Black. The bar was stifling hot. Black was sharing her muggle cigarettes with the gang and Tully decided to indulge. He preferred a pipe but his fiancee had nixed it months earlier.

After seven rounds the pub crowd began to thin out. Moody was pretty pissed and Rin Prewett from the Administrative office had offered to walk Moody home. Amelia was teaching a sparring group in the morning for first year Auror recruits.

"My brother Edgar is hosting a picnic on Sunday at eleven if you'd like to come," she said as she placed her jacket around her shoulders. "You're welcome to bring your fiancee, Tully," she added as an afterthought.

"Thank you, Bones," he said. Their group was tight-knit. They four had spent the better part of the last seven years working together. Unfortunately, no one in the group was fond of Tully's fiancee. As of late, Tully himself wasn't particularly fond of his fiancee. He took a swig of his sidecar and waited for Amelia to leave.

"Black," Tully said in a low voice, "can I ask you a question." She waited patiently. Before he would tell her he made her promise she wouldn't discuss their conversation with Moody and Bones.

"Alright," she agreed. "What is it?"

"Do you think that I'm making the right choice tying the knot?" he asked earnestly.

His partner's brow furrowed. Her lips thinned.

"Explain," she said simply.

He should have expected this reaction. Black wasn't the type of woman to engage in long heart-to-heart talks. She wanted to know the facts and then she would draw a conclusion. Tully sighed inwardly. He shifted uncomfortably but said nothing.

"Well, what happened?" she demanded as she lit another cigarette.

Tully felt uneasy about sharing intimate details with her. They had been in tight, awkward, and even dangerous situations before but never had he felt so ill at ease with his partner. He felt like her eyes were piercing into his inner most thoughts. Yet, in the end he surrendered and told her the whole tale.

Dolores, Tully's fiancee, had given him an ultimatum. He needed to lose the muggle suits before the wedding. Over the last decade a growing number of witches and wizards were ditching the traditional wizarding robes in favor of muggle clothing. Personally, Tully enjoyed the flexibility of being able to move between the wizarding and muggle world with ease. As an Auror his work often required slipping through areas with high muggle traffic. Blending in was an essential part of the job.

"I can't understand why she's so upset," Tully said. "A suit isn't a big deal."

"If it isn't a big deal," Black questioned, "then why are you so upset?"

"I think she's worried her family won't approve," Tully said. Tully had met his fiancee's family on two occasions. Her parents were from a different era. They were the byproduct of older pureblood families that were not economically prosperous nor politically powerful. Her maternal grandmother had been a Selwyn. Her daughter had married into the working class, yet pureblood, Umbridge family. Tully had marveled at how Dolores was determined to rise above her station. Her efforts to learn the social customs, etiquette, and polish of pureblood society were unmatched.

"If someone doesn't like you for who you are they aren't worth your time," Black said seriously. Her green eyes were beginning to glaze from the gillywater. She tapped the ash off the end of her cigarette into a small glass ashtray on the end of the table. Tully had no response so he waited for her to speak. She looked away from the conversation and out into the bar.

"You pick these brainless, busty broads from the Administrative Division," she said turning back to their conversation. Tully felt like a child being reprimanded by parent. "The only difference between the ones at the Ministry and the ones here," she said pointing to a cocktail waitress, "is a name and their blood status."

"You're wrong you know," Tully said defensively. "Dolores has a plan. She wants a career."

Black snorted. She put her cigarette out and stood up. As she grabbed her blazer jacket and hung it over her arm she said, "Those women only take jobs at the Ministry to find a husband. The only difference with Dolores is she's hoping to find the next Minister."

She stood at the edge of the table with her lips pursed as she waited for an answer.

"Like you and Bones are any different," Tully said bitterly. "You go out with men from the Ministry and you don't settle for just anyone."

"The difference is I don't want to marry the next Minister. I want to work for the next Minister. If I happen to meet someone along the way so be it. Goodnight," she said as she walked away from the table. Tully collected his own suit coat and made for the door as well. Near the hallway for the restroom he caught her arm. He gently spun her around so they were face to face.

"Black," he said, "I'm sorry."

"Minerva?" A cool voice interrupted. Tully looked to his left to see none other than the Potter prat he had met hours earlier. Potter was eying the pair carefully. Tully felt uncomfortable with the situation. He was in a bar holding a woman by the arm with a Ministry Advocate asking questions.

"Hello Seamus," Black said as she removed her arm from Tully's grip.

"Is everything alright?" Potter asked her without taking his eyes from Tully.

"Yes," she smiled. "I would join you but I'm just leaving. Have a good night."

She tossed her blazer over her shoulder and gave Potter one last goodnight. She turned on her heel and walked out into the hot, humid London night air. Tully gave Potter one last glare before following her out into the heat.

He could hear the light click of her heels as she walked along the road. The heat had caused a thick fog to envelope the streets. The lights gave off an eerie glow. There were people scattered about in the heat of the night. Ahead, his partner had turned and was heading in the direction of St. James Park. The park provided a safe apparition spot for many of the Ministry employees. Minerva had a rowhouse in Bethnal Green and often used the park to commute to and from work.

She stopped to adjust her heel and Tully took the opportunity to catch her.

"Minerva," he said as he approached her.

"McGonagall," she responded acknowledging his presence.

"I'm sorry I never should have-" he began to say but she cut him off. She stood upright.

"I didn't mean to-" he started but she held her hand up to stop him.

"Now really," he said as he backed her up against the nearest tree. "I know and respect that you are-"

"Shut it," she demanded as she placed a finger on his mouth. They stayed that way for a moment. Her eyes were closed as she listened to the sounds around them. In the distance there was music from a saxophone playing. It was likely a street performer. A soft wind rustled the trees. Occasional car horns sounded from the nearby streets. Tully watched intently for any sign from her to tell him what she had heard. A bead of sweat fell from her forehead and onto her chest as it rose slowly.

Without a word her eyes shot open and she looked at Tully. He gave her look. She responded. It was a game they played. Over the course of their relationship they had managed to communicate without words in some tight situations. She pulled him close and whispered a barely audible "trouble." In response, Tully's hand went for his wand. Minerva placed her hand over his to stop him.

"Lovebirds up ahead," they heard a voice whisper as sound of footsteps grew closer. Tully felt the hot breath of a man near his ear.

"And what do we have hear?" The man said dangerously. There were three, maybe four, of them. They were muggles and hoodlums. Tully could smell alcohol on the man's hot breath. He felt a sudden pain in the back of his legs as one of the men hit him with a cane across the back of the knees. As Tully fell the man placed the cane under Tully's neck. Tully tried to move his arms but another man was holding them back.

Minerva stood with her back against the tree. She could easily whip out her wand and hex the men but her actions would be a violation of the Statute of Secrecy. While two men held Tully a third approached her. He thrust his arm out against her neck to hold her against the tree. On the ground, one of the men holding Tully was searching his pockets. He found what he had been looking for and dumped the contents of Tully's coin purse onto the grass.

"What the hell is this?" Said one of the men in angry whisper as he eyed the nuts and sickles.

"Teppista!" Minerva shouted as she threw out her own small stash of sickles. She slapped the hoodlum across the face and began ranting in Italian. The men backed off to collect the coins and Minerva grabbed Tully as the stormed off down the path.

Once they were clear of the hoodlums, Minerva stopped.

"Are you alright?" She asked as she looked at his neck. He murmured that he was fine and the pair reached the end of the park. Minerva bid him farewell and after a small popping noise Tully was left standing alone in the park.

After a short walk home Tully poured himself a small tumbler of whiskey and slid into an aged armchair. He chuckled to himself about the incident from earlier in the evening. Posing as Italian tourists was a quick thinking on his partner's part. As Tully walked to the bedroom he removed his suit coat and tie. He set his tumbler down on the nightstand next to picture of his fiancee Dolores. She was petite with short blond curls and a rounded face. His words from earlier were echoing in is head. "She's a lady," he had told his friends. He doubted Dolores would have thought to whip out a fake Italian accent and attitude when confronted by a group of muggle thugs.

As the humidity hung in the air, Tully drifted off into an uneasy sleep. As he tossed around in the sheets of his four poster bed he dreamed of green eyes and soft black curls. When he awoke he told himself the heat was responsible for the sudden change in the woman he dreamed about.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Thanks to everyone for reading the first chapter. I promise you- stick with the story because it will pay off. I apologize for not including a proper thanks to JKR in the first chapter. Without her interactions between Minerva and Dolores I wouldn't have gotten this plot bunny and wouldn't have a wonderfully created world to place it in.

Alastor Moody took a sip from his punch and adjusted himself in his trousers. The heat was unbearable. Edgar Bones had picked a helluva day to hold a picnic. At least there was a tent to provide shade from the August heat.

"Fancy a ride?" Edgar said to Moody from across the table. Moody had been eying Edgar's new Shooting Star racing broom all afternoon. The Bones family had a lovely country house that provided plenty of free space to ride brooms. The freedom to ride was one of the biggest things Alastor missed about living in the country. Life in London made it difficult to ride a broom regularly. Alastor watched with envy as the McKinnon boy soared gently above the ground with ease. The light breeze of a casual broom ride was a good feeling on a hot day.

"I see she decided to come," Edgar said as he pointed to the back door of the house. Stepping through the doorway was Tully McGonagall accompanied by his fiancée, Dolores. The two made a beeline for Moody's table.

"Alastor," Tully said as he approached the table.

"Mister Moody," Dolores said sharply nodding to the man.

"Is that the new Shooting Star?" Tully asked as he eyed the broom off in the distance.

"I've got the next ride," Moody said as Tully and Dolores sat down at the table.

Across the yard was a small sandbar where a shallow river flowed through the back of the Bones' property. Amelia Bones, Minerva Black and Charlotte Dawes were relaxing on the sandbar with their feet in the water. The sand was hot, but the river provided a nice relief from the heat of day. The three ladies were sharing Black's muggle cigarettes and passing around a cool bottle of Gillywater.

"I don't see why they cut Greene's contract," said Bones angrily. Frank Greene had been her favorite beater for the Pride of Portee for the last twelve years. Amelia hadn't taken the news well when she learned that the team was cutting him. Charlotte was an assistant editor for _The Pitch, _the leading Quidditch magazine. Earlier in the afternoon she had dropped the bomb that Greene was on his way out.

"He missed two games last season and he's getting on," Minerva replied as she took a lazily took a drag from her cigarette. "36 is pretty old for a professional player."

"Don't let your partner hear you say that," Charlotte said with a smirk from underneath her big, floppy sun hat.

"Sometimes I forgot he's so old," Minerva said in response.

"Who is so old?" Said Tully McGonagall as he approached the three ladies.

"You're blocking my sun," said Charlotte as Tully stood behind the three. Minerva glanced back to greet him and noticed he was sporting muggle clothing. She couldn't resist the opportunity to get a dig in to Dolores.

"What a lovely shirt, McGonagall," Minerva said as took in his red and yellow Hawaiian style shirt. "It is very" Minerva paused, "loud."

"_Hem hem," _Dolores coughed.

"I could say the same for your bathing suit," McGonagall countered. Amelia had talked Minerva into purchasing a new bathing suit. It was a bright yellow two piece and not something Minerva would have purchased on her own. She was uncomfortable in the suit, and Tully knew it, but he silently praised Amelia for her efforts. Amelia had tried to gently nudge Minerva into showing a little more skin.

"_Hem hem,_" Dolores coughed again. She was still standing on the grass a few feet behind the group.

"Why don't you come down here, dear?" Charlotte said politely.

"Where are my manners?" Tully said as he realized he hadn't properly introduced his guest. "Ladies this is my fiancée Dolores." He held his hand out for Dolores to join him down on the sand but she refused to move from the grass. "And Dolores this is Charlotte Dawes, Amelia Bones and you've already met Minerva."

"We're about to walk upstream," Amelia offered with a smile, "There's a new nest of Puffskeins if you'd like to see them."

"Don't you think we should return to the party?" Dolores asked. Tully could hear in her voice that she was uncomfortable. Dolores, in her sundress and cardigan, wasn't dressed for jaunt up the river. Amelia reassured the two that they weren't going anywhere deep.

Despite Amelia's reassurances, Dolores declined the offer. She also decided that she would wait in the grass by the sandbar until the group returned. Amelia shook out the blanket the ladies had been laying on while Charlotte placed the bottle of Gillywater back into a small wicker basket. Tully watched as Minerva stood up and stretched in a catlike fashion and said another silent 'thank you' to Amelia for her efforts. As he watched his partner's back arch his thoughts drifted to his dream from the other night.

"Look out!" Tully heard a voice call. He whipped around to see Alastor Moody barreling toward the gang on Edgar's new broom. Tully just had time to duck before hearing a loud splash. Sitting in a foot of muddy water was Moody laughing and covered in muck. But Tully's heart sank when he realized Dolores was sitting next to Moody in the water.

"I'm sorry about that ma'am," Moody said as he tried to help her to her feet.

"Don't touch me," Dolores snapped. Her sundress and hair were wet. She wiped the muck from her eyes and glared at Moody. Ignoring her protests, Moody picked her up and tried to help wipe the chunks of mud off her dress. Her blonde hair was coated in thick slime.

"Please come inside the house," Amelia said as she offered Dolores her hand. "We'll get you cleaned up and find you something new to wear."

Dolores didn't immediately respond. She glanced down at Amelia's attire as if to judge whether she could trust any clothing the woman could offer.

"No I don't think so," Dolores said in her sickly sweet voice as she finally stepped out of the water. As she did, she took Edgar's new racing broom with her. Amelia offered to take the broom. Dolores smiled and pulled out her wand. Before anyone could stop her, Dolores said a quick spell and the broom snapped in half. With a smile, Dolores handed the broom to Amelia and began to walk away. The group stood on the sandbar in silence.

"Hey," Minerva yelled at Dolores as she walked away across the grass. "What's your problem?"

Dolores continued to walk away without acknowledging Minerva. Moody was beside himself as Amelia and Charlotte tried to reassure him that it wasn't his fault. Minerva shot a glare at Tully. He responded with a shrug. His eyes widened. He certainly hadn't expected Dolores to break Edgar's broom. Her thinned lips told Tully she wasn't buying his response. Without a word, Minerva took off after Dolores.

"Black," Tully called after her. He wanted to avoid any confrontation between the two witches. Dolores had quite an unpredictable temper. Hell, she had just snapped a man's broom in half. There was no telling what she would do when cornered.

Unfortunately, Black beat him to her. Minerva put her arm on Dolores's shoulder and turned her around. Tully picked up his pace to a jog.

"Do you need something, Miss Black?" Dolores said she spun around. Minerva was taken aback by Dolores's tone. Dolores wore a face of pure innocence and a tone of genuine surprise.

"What is your problem?" Minerva said repeating her earlier question. "That was completely uncalled for."

"Yes it was," Dolores said sweetly, "and Mister Moody is fortunate that I won't be pressing charges."

"Press charges?" Minerva said incredulously. Her eyes were wide with disbelief. Her chest was heaving as she glared down at the smaller woman.

"Is that a problem, Miss Black?" Dolores asked as her smile grew wider. Minerva opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by Tully's arrival.

"Darling," Tully said breathlessly as he reached the pair. "Perhaps you overreacted. Let's-"

"Overreacted?" Dolores said with a slightly faltering smile. Her eyes were wide and her face seemed frozen.

"Why don't we go inside and talk?" Tully suggested as he took Dolores's hand in his own.

The couple went inside the country home. Twenty minutes later Tully emerged alone. He walked across the veranda and joined the group under the tent. Charlotte and Amelia were trying to remove the mud from Moody's clothes.

"Sorry McGonagall," Moody said in earnest as his clothes dripped onto the stone. At least the heat would help dry Moody's clothes faster.

"I'm the one who should apologize," Tully said as he turned to Edgar.

"As I recall," Minerva said from the corner of the tent, "you're not the one who broke the broom."

"The children would enjoy walking up to see the Puffskeins," Charlotte said quickly. "We can handle cleaning up."

As they walked along the stream Edgar and Amelia shared stories from their childhood. Tully had rolled his pant legs up and removed his shoes. He felt relief as his feet touched the cool stones under the moving water. As he walked he noticed small minnows swiftly swimming to avoid his footsteps.

There was a clearing up the stream that the Bones had used as a camp out spot as children. Tully had been fishing with Edgar on this stream a handful of times. Tully's home in London was suitable for a bachelor but he dreamed of owning a country home one day so he could take his children on camp outs.

"Aunt Amelia," said Edgar's youngest daughter. "Will you take us on a camp out tonight?"

"Please, please, please, please, please!" Cried McKinnon kids in unison.

"Perhaps you should take Dolores on a camping trip?" Minerva suggested as she looked back at him. Tully thought she looked ridiculous toting around a toddler in a bathing suit. He chuckled.

"Dolores doesn't really enjoy outdoor activities," Amelia said smartly.

"Well with her work it is hard to enjoy the outdoors," Tully said as he stepped high to avoid a large, slippery rock covered with moss.

"I'm sorry," Minerva said as she cocked her head, "Did you say work or wardrobe?"

"Well there's that too," Tully said with a small smile.

"I'll go on a camp out with you!" Edgar's daughter offered.

"There won't be any camp outs tonight but there will be fireworks," Amelia reassured the children. Giddy squeals of delight accompanied Amelia's announcement. "But quiet down or you'll scare the Puffskeins."

As the sun began to set a beautiful orange hue streaked across the skyline. Moody, now dry, helped Amelia lay out blankets. The McKinnon boy was very upset that they weren't, in his mind, close enough to the fireworks. It took almost a half hour to settle the little ones onto the quilts.

Once the kids were set, Edgar passed around some Bones' family wine. As Tully savored a third glass of the homemade nectar he started to feel the wear of the day and sun. Even the booms of the fireworks weren't enough to keep his attention. He could feel himself starting to nod off and he struggled to keep his eyes open.

"It's too sweet," Moody surmised as he licked his lips.

"It's supposed to be sweet," Amelia countered as a firework crackled down into smoke.

Edgar must have cast a cooling spell on the quilts. Compared to the humidity he'd sat in all day, that quilt felt like heaven. Tully drifted off to sleep listening to the whirl, boom, and sizzle of the fireworks in the night sky.

Tully could hear voices whispering but he didn't open his eyes. It was cool out. This was the first good sleep he'd had in a quite some time. As he lay barely awake he tried to distinguish the conversation. There were hushed voices and then a giggle. As he inhaled he could smell smoke.

"I am worried," said a voice that Tully recognized as Minerva. "He was winging it during that meeting. I know he didn't read the report thoroughly." Tully felt a small pang of guilt. It was obvious Minerva was discussing the report on the Pinelli family. He had barely skimmed the contents of the report.

"You don't think he can handle himself?" Amelia whispered in a serious tone.

"I should have made my meaning clearer," Minerva said solemnly. "He can handle himself." Tully's heart swelled with pride from his partner's assessment. "But we're sailing through uncharted waters." She added. "I'm not sure we're ready."

"And his charm has nothing to do with this concern," Amelia said with a hint of sarcasm. Tully's ears perked up at the comment. He had to stop himself from moving too much. He heard his partner snort softly.

"Potter and I are friends," Minerva said in a matter-of-fact tone. Tully's heart sank. He knew there was a reason he didn't like that man. "We're very old, very dear friends," Minerva reiterated, "and nothing more."

"So your upcoming dinner is-" Amelia started but was cut off by Minerva.

"Dinner," she said in a dangerously low voice. "And just dinner. And you can stop pretending to be asleep McGonagall."

Tully felt his cheeks flush as he sat up straight.

"How did you know?" He asked as he smoothed his hair down.

"Your breathing changed," Minerva responded as she tapped the ash off the end of her cigarette.

Glancing around Tully noticed that most of the guests were gone. Amelia and Minerva were sitting on a blanket near Tully. Closer to the house, Tully could barely make out a few shadows sitting on the veranda. It looked like Edgar and his wife, Moody, and Barry McKinnon were laughing together.

"They're playing Knights and Knaves if you want to join," Amelia offered.

It was a simple card game and one that Tully enjoyed tremendously. Each player would draw question or dare cards to ask another player. If one was asked a question card the player could answer truthfully or lie. Then each player would bet a Knight or Knave piece depending on if they thought the person was truthful or dishonest. If one was asked a dare card the person could accept or decline. To accept earned the player a Knight but to decline earned the player a Knave. The person to collect the most Knights was named the Knight. Alternatively, the person to collect the most Knaves was crowned the Knave for the evening. The Knight would be able to command the Knave for minor tasks for the remainder of the evening.

"Would you ladies care to join?" Tully asked hopefully. Knights and Knaves was one of his favorite card games. His years as an auror made it easy, or so he thought, at detecting liars in the game. He added a reassuring smile to seal the deal but the two women politely refused his offer. Tully left and joined the group on the veranda while Minerva and Amelia stayed out on the lawn.

"The truth is," Minerva said after Tully was out of earshot, that Potter and I are very complicated."

"What do you mean complicated?" Amelia pried as she took a swig of gillywater.

"Why don't we talk about you and-" Minerva started but was immediately cut off by Amelia.

"It's tricky," Amelia said shortly.

Minerva stretched back on a blanket and stared up the stars. She rolled her shoulders back and sighed. The sun had gone down but the heat still hung in the air. It was so still and humid that it would be hard to sleep.

"Complicated. Tricky," she said in a dreamy, most-unlike-Minerva tone. "Do you think there's any chance women like us- aurors, career women- have any chance at a regular romance?"

"Regular? Unlikely, Miss Black," said a deep voice. Minerva sat up quickly and spun around to see Minister Urquart. Amelia dropped the bottle of gillywater and stood up quickly. Minerva also jumped up and tried her best to look presentable. Minister Urquart chuckled.

"I'm sorry to barge in on a lovely evening but I thought I might find you all here," he said quickly as the three walked in the direction of the veranda. "There's been an incident," he added quietly.

"Minister," Tully said as he threw his cards on the table and stood up quickly to greet his boss. Minister Urquart gave his team a brief rundown of an incident that had occurred very recently in London. In the distance there was a flash of heat lightening and low rumble of thunder.

"Storm's a coming," Moody said as he glanced out across the lawn. "Let's get there before the evidence is washed away."


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to all of you for sticking with the story. Please review. I'd love to hear your feedback. And again, thanks to JKR.

Twenty minutes after Minister Urquart's appearance at the party the four aurors found themselves in the stifling heat of a small alley between two rowhouses in a seedy part of London. The heat lightening was flashing across the sky to the west. Tully was hoping it would move in a drop the temperature.

Against the faded brick wall of one of the rowhouses lay the dead body of a young woman. She had light brown hair and was wearing a blue muggle dress. Her eyes were frozen open. There were no visible signs of trauma or violence on her body.

"Noreen Watts," Amelia said as she glanced over notes from one of the law enforcement wizards. "She worked in the Department of Magical Education."

"It was the killing curse alright," Minerva said as she examined the eyes.

"She was found about an hour ago," the Magical Law Enforcement officer explained.

"But why call us?" Moody asked, "And how was she found so quickly?"

The officer was at a loss for words. The tip had been anonymous. There were no witnesses present when the officers arrived. Moody worked on questioning the officers about the tip. Amelia was looking into Noreen's information. Minerva was studying the body. Tully was focused on something on the wall. There was little light in the alley. It was a heavily muggle populated area so wands were kept hidden. Tully could see a design on the wall above the body.

As he drew closer Tully could make out what appeared to be a skull with a snake stretching out of the mouth. It was a bizarre symbol and not something Tully had seen before. Organized crime sometimes left symbols near their crimes to take credit for the deeds committed but this particular symbol was unfamiliar.

"McGonagall," Minerva said softy, "It is on her wrist." Minerva held out the wrist of the girl and Tully noticed the same dark symbol on the small wrist of the dead woman. Tully pulled out a small sketch book that he kept and quickly sketched an picture of the image.

"Do you think it is a new organized crime group?" Moody questioned.

"No," Tully said as he shook his head. "Maybe. I'm not sure. Perhaps it is a symbol. A ritual killing maybe?"

As Tully and Moody theorized about the meaning of the symbol a small brown owl swept in a dropped a letter for Minerva. They were finished with the crime scene and exhausted from the heat of the day. The temperature had taken a recent dip and rain would be moving in soon. Moody excused himself from the group. However, Amelia was unable to sleep and decided to join the officers back at the ministry to process the paperwork.

As Tully said his goodnights Minerva caught his arm and handed him a note. The note instructed Tully to meet her "Three south, left and up the stairs." Tully started walking north and then doubled back. There were kids scrambling into the house to avoid the oncoming rain. He pulled his jacket tighter around his body as he rounded the corner. There was a small joint on the second floor above a cafe.

Inside the place was dark and crowded. There were many young couples huddled around small tables. There was a large woman on a small stage belting out old tunes in a rusty voice accompanied by a shifty looking young man on an out of tune piano. Next to the window was a small table where Tully spotted his partner sitting with Kenneth Yaxley and Potter.

"I thought we weren't supposed to meet outside of the office?" Tully said quietly as he sat down next to his partner.

"I'm sorry but I felt the circumstances warranted a meeting," Yaxley explained. His eyes bore into Tully's. "I was Miss Watt's anonymous tip." Tully's eyebrows went higher. "She was an informant for my department."

"Miss Watts was also a witness to the original case against Salvador Pinelli," Potter added ominously. "Minister Urquart has already been informed."

"How did you find her so quickly?" Tully said ignoring Potter and turning to Yaxley.

Yaxley ran his hand through his blonde hair. The lightning flashed again and rain began wash against the window pane. Yaxley waited for the cocktail waitress to leave drinks and then began informing the others of the details of the night. Noreen Watts had contacted Yaxley on Friday that she had information to pass along regarding Salvatore Pinelli. Watts had failed to show at the designated meeting spot.

"Earlier today she had asked if we could change the location," Yaxley explained. "She was afraid she was being tailed." Yaxley was unsure of the nature of the information she wished to share. He explained that there had been no recent changes in Pinelli's visitors or routines at Azkaban prison. The two were originally slated to meet at 9:00 p.m. at a bookstore several blocks away.

"She would drop the information in a copy of a book. A different book each time. It was supposed to be in _Great Expectations_ this week," Yaxley said as he stirred his cocktail. "I've already looked. This was inside."

Yaxley tossed a small crumpled note on the table. Minerva unfolded it carefully. Her brow was furrowed with anticipation for the contents contained within.

"Quit while you are alive," She read, "or six more will die. Let us not waste magical blood."

The four sets of eyes met as they tried to determine the meaning of the note. Pinelli had never been known to hold feelings regarding magical blood status. His second wife was a muggle-born witch. Pinelli had not been a supporter of Grindelwald's activities.

"I suggest we think on this," Potter said to the group, "And reschedule our meeting. I'll be in touch." He placed his hat on his head and with a quick nod was off.

"We shouldn't all leave together," Yaxley warned, "I'll see if that blonde on the end of the bar needs an escort."

"You haven't changed have you," Minerva said with a raised eyebrow.

"And I never will," he said with a wink as he left the table.

Tully and Minerva found themselves sitting next to each other alone in the corner of the pub. Outside the wind and rain slapped hard against the windows. It was a downpour that had been building all day. The cocktail waitress brought them each another round which they drank in silence.

"So you and Potter-" Tully started to ask but was cut off by his partner.

"Given your choice in fiancée I hardly find you fit to critic any of my private affairs," she said sharply. "She broke a man's broom. She's crazy McGonagall."

"She felt-" Tully said in defense of his woman.

"She's a social climber," Minerva continued.

"Who is very well respected-" Tully stared as his partner continued on her rant.

"Who is not with you because you are attractive, or likeable, or entertaining," Minerva said with increasing agitation.

"Oh I'm attractive?" Tully said with a mocking tone but Minerva wasn't even listening.

"She's only with you because she thinks you are going places in the Ministry," Minerva said. "And you like nice in a suit."

A tense silence fell over the pair. They paid the waitress for the drinks and quickly exited the pub. Outside and down the stairs the rain continued to pour. The wind had picked up. It was close to midnight. A dim streetlamp and neon signs were the only lights outside. It was now cold and a drastic change from the heat earlier in the day.

"I'm sorry," Minerva said softly. They had walked about half a block before the downpour returned. They were sandwiched in the doorway of a dry cleaner waiting for the rain to lighten up. "But I think you deserve better." She added as she turned to look at him. Her hair was drenched and sticking to her face. Her eye makeup had started to smear. Tully began to laugh. Minerva swatted his arm.

"You look funny with your makeup all your face," Tully said with a grin.

"We'll we all can't be as perfect as Dolores," Minerva said icily.

They waited a moment in silence before they left the doorway. Minerva had a small townhouse to the north. Tully's flat was to the west. The pair continued walking east together without saying a word to one another. After another block Minerva stopped and confronted Tully.

"You live that way," she snapped as she held out her arm.

"I'm going to office," Tully retorted, "I can't sleep."

"But I'm going to the office," Minerva said with ferocity.

"Fine," Tully said with more force than he wanted to.

"Fine!" Minerva said in response.

The two continued walking as the wind picked up. Twenty minutes later they arrived with cold, soaked bodies. The rain and chilled their bodies but not their tempers. Once inside their small office the partners were still not speaking.

Minerva was deeply disturbed by the symbol found on the body. She was certain there was a symbolic meaning behind the image. In symbolism serpents could represent the battle between good and evil, medicine, vengeance, and death. Skulls represented mortality and death. There were no current active serial killers or organized crime units using serpents or skulls in their symbols or messages.

"What's the Malfoy family crest?" Tully suddenly asked.

"A peacock," Minerva answered without taking her eyes away from her case notes. She was following his train of thought. The Malfoy family had strong ties to the Pinelli's and their opinions on blood status certainly fit the profile. But there was nothing connecting the Malfoy family to the note at the scene. The pair fell silent again. Tully was flipping through a small sketchbook he kept on symbolism.

"Fancy a trip to Hogwarts?" He asked as he tossed the book down on the desk. Minerva looked up from her notes but remained silent. "I remember seeing something from my house history project research."

"You think this is related to her Hogwarts house?" Minerva said with a skeptical glance at her partner.

"No," Tully said, "But I know there's a book in the library with that symbol."

"I'll write to Professor Dumbledore to inform him of our impending arrival," Minerva said as she penned a short note to her former Professor. "What time is it?" 

Tully glanced at the small clock on the wall. It was almost two thirty in the morning. He knew exactly what she was thinking. This late in the evening it wouldn't make sense to go to sleep. During a complex investigation they expected nights like this.

"If we leave now we can make it before breakfast," he said. She smiled and offered to arrange transport. Tully quickly packed a small bag with case notes, his symbolism book, and a sketch book.

Fifteen minutes later they met on top of the Ministry on a landing platform. The platform carried powerful disillusionment charms to allow for unseen entrances and takeoffs in and out of the Ministry. Minerva had only been able to secure brooms for the trip. It would be a long broom ride to Hogwarts but Tully didn't want to wait for better transportation. If his memory was right then this could lead them to new head of the Pinelli family.

After securing their personal belongings and casting a quick gripping charm the pair launched off into the night sky. It was still raining and without the gripping charm they risked falling. As the glided above the London skyline the wind increased. Within minutes the lights of city grew smaller and smaller as the rode north.

Occasionally they would pass over a bundle of small lights below. Mostly it was dark, like riding over the ocean. During the war with Grindelwald Tully had flown several missions over the Channel. The cold, black water below was mesmerizing. Now the fields and small villages below were beginning to make him sleepy.

"Snap out of it," Minerva said as she did a barrel roll with her broom. "Don't get the dead in the eyes."

Dead in the eyes was a broom riders worst fear. When flying a person could travel great distances and not remember the trip. It was known as flying hypnosis and could prove fatal.

They only stopped once for the duration of the trip. They landed gracefully near a field shortly before the border. Tully's legs were aching. He hadn't ridden that fast nor that long in nearly four years. The pair walked around for a moment and stretched.

When they resumed their flight the cold air felt refreshing. It wasn't long before the castle towers appeared over the landscape.

"Let's land by lake and hike from there," Tully shouted at his partner. With a nod she responded and they began their descent.

Professor Dumbledore was surprised by the late night note from his former student. It was concise but obviously important.

"Did she say why?" Galatea Merrythought asked as she buttered a piece of toast. Minerva Black had been a well liked student during her time at Hogwarts. Albus had informed the Headmaster of her request and news of her approaching arrival had spread quickly.

"She is working in the Auror Division," Albus explained. "All she said was that her and her partner requested access to the Hogwarts library to aid in an ongoing investigation."

The lives of the Hogwarts staff were mostly uneventful. Visits from former students and colleagues caused quite a stir.

"Who's the partner?" The inquiry had come from Filius Flitwick, a newer addition to the Hogwarts staff. Filius had joined three years earlier.

"Tully McGonagall," Dumbledore answered.

"Tully McGonagall you say?" Said Horace Slughorn as he entered the staff room. "His mother says he's engaged. Was quite an exceptional student. I would place money that he'll run for Minister of Magic someday."

"He's coming to seek some information in the library for an investigation," Dumbledore explained to Horace.

"Splendid!" Horace said as he grabbed a roll from the table. "We shall have to invite him to breakfast."

There were audible grumbles from the staff. Dumbledore was certain the pair would be hungry after a long flight but a casual breakfast with Horace was probably not on the agenda.

"I'll need the elves to prepare something special," Horace went on as he planned the breakfast. "They'll be hungry I'm sure and in need of some food to stimulate the mind. Nothing gets your brain power going like a Hogwarts breakfast."

"Who's Tully McGonagall?" Filius asked.

"I believe he was too young to attend school with you and too old for you to have taught," Albus mused.

A quick knock on the staff room door pulled Albus from his thoughts. The door swung open of its own accord. Minerva Black and Tully McGonagall stood at the doorway accompanied by the groundskeeper Ogg.

"Hello! Hello!" Slughorn cried as he rushed to great the pair. "Come in. I've got breakfast waiting in my quarters. We can catch up. I'd love to hear about your adventure."

Despite Minerva's insistence on the importance of their visit Slughorn's breakfast won out in the end. Tully had tried to explain that there was just no telling the man no. Tully's family had been friends with the Professor for years and, in truth, Tully did enjoy the Professor.

Once down in the dungeons Tully and Minerva carried on polite conversation with Slughorn over a big breakfast. Slughorn had spared nothing in laying out enough food to feed an army. There were pastries, egg dishes, bacon and sausages, and even crepes.

"So how long have you been together?" Slughorn inquired as his eyes grew larger.

"Three years now is it?" Minerva answered.

"Yes dear," Tully smiled sarcastically. Their partnership had started off rocky. Minerva was much younger than he was. Tully felt uncomfortable being paired with new blood. He was a department veteran hardened by the war. But in time she proved to be a valuable asset. Now he wouldn't want to be with anyone else in the field.

After an hour Tully was out of conversation topics and felt like his belt needed to be expanded. Slughorn offered to escort the pair to the library. Once inside Slughorn brought Tully to history section while Minerva searched the section on symbolism.

"She's something you know," Slughorn said as he pointed to Minerva. She was a few stacks away. Dust from the shelves played in the early morning light coming through a large glass window. "I had her brother, but I'd have preferred the set."

"Thank you for your help today," Tully said turning back to Slughorn. "And thank you for breakfast."

"It was nothing my boy," Slughorn said as he smiled. "It was so nice to see you two. I'm sure you'll be very happy. I look forward to the wedding."

"Yes," Tully agreed. "Dolores is preparing to send the invitations soon."

"Who's Dolores?" Slughorn asked softly as he looked at the taller man.

"My fiancée," Tully answered. "Dolores Umbridge. I'm sure you'd remember her."

"But Miss Black-" Slughorn struggled to find words to express his thoughts. "I thought. This whole time-"

"I'm sorry Sluggie," Tully said with a grin realizing Slughorn's confusion. "Minerva and I are partners in the Auror Division. We are not romantically involved."

"You could have fooled me," Slughorn said still looking slightly befuddled. "You're sure? She's quite lovely."

It was nearly noon before Tully found what he'd been searching for. In an aged book in the history section Tully found the answer to his question.

"Knights of the Order of the Eglė," Tully said as he read aloud to Minerva, "The Queen of Serpents. Their mission was to protect the sanctity of pureblood mothers. Formed in 1033 by Tannis Slytherin, granddaughter of Salazar Slytherin. Disbanded in 1071."

He turned the book over so Minerva could see the image. The skull with a serpent coming through the mouth was exactly the same symbol seen on the informant's body. The symbol found on her body was black but the symbol in the book was green.

"We should check if Watts was pregnant," Minerva suggested. "But I still don't see how this relates to the Pinelli's."

Once they had exhausted in information on the symbol and the organization they packed up and headed for the castle grounds. They would be able to take a train back to London and Tully was planning on sleeping the whole way. They had spent the entire day at the library and it was nearing sundown.

On their way out the door Professor Dumbledore caught Minerva's arm.

"The symbol you are investigating," he said in a hushed tone, "Is dangerous. Be very careful."

"Professor how did you know-" Minerva started to say but Dumbledore's eyes told her to stop talking.

"I'm not at liberty to say," Dumbledore said quietly. "Not here. Look for my owl."

The train ride back was pleasant enough. Tully and Minerva had a private car. Tully bunched up his overcoat and used it as a pillow to catch some sleep on the ride back to London. Fields, streams, and farms whizzed by as the train rumbled along the tracks. An hour or so in to the trip and both Tully and Minerva were fast asleep.

Shortly after the sun went down there was a small rapping on the window. Tully awoke to see a haggard looking owl slip in quickly bearing a awful looking red note. Tully gently roused his partner but she refused to open her eyes. He cast a quick silencing spell on the car and then opened the howler.

"HOW DARE YOU SKIP OUT ON THIS DINNER! IT IS NEARLY HALF PAST SIX AND YOU HAVEN'T EVEN SO MUCH AS OWLED TO SAY YOU'LL BE LATE. YOU HAVE MADE IT CLEAR THAT WORK IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ME. IF YOU WISH TO APOLOGIZE I WILL ACCEPT BUT WE WILL NEED TO RENOGIATE THE TERMS OF OUR RELATIONSHIP."

Dolores was never pleased by tardiness. Tully had completely forgotten the dinner scheduled for this evening. Tully was supposed to be meeting Dolores's Aunt Tillie. Family dinners weren't really Tully's forte. Growing up in London's pureblood society had given Tully a fill of dinner parties, soirees, and seasons.

"She sounds happy," Minerva said as she wiped the dust from her eyes. "You might want to send in a trained negotiator first to talk her down before she kills any hostages."

Tully started laughing and Minerva joined him. Her eyes were sleepy. They were both tired. Minerva bought a bottle of wine from the dining car and the spent the rest of the ride home discussing memories of Hogwarts.

When the train lurched to a stop Tully was reluctant to get off. The past few hours had been a relief. As he walked home from the station he realized he'd have to face Dolores in the morning. She insisted on eating their meals together whenever possible. Dolores preferred the upscale Giada's, a local hotspot for Ministry officials to hobnob. It was pricey and showy and guaranteed a run-in with the Ministry higher ups. It was everything Dolores wanted.

When he arrived home it was late. He hung his overcoat on the coat rack near the door. After brushing his teeth and laying out a suit for the morning he went into the sitting room for a nightcap.

"You could have fooled me," Slughorn's words echoed in his head.

As he drifted off to sleep he dreamed that was back at Hogwarts. His old four poster bed seemed small and his trunk seemed out of place. He was wearing smart looking black dress robes. As he walked along the familiar hallways of the school he realized he was heading to the Great Hall. There was music playing in the background. As soon as he entered he saw Dolores. She was pulling him onto the dance floor to join the waltz. Tully was reluctant to join but he gave in and the twirled endlessly around the floor.

As he passed the crowd he realized Minerva was standing near the dance floor watching him. He wanted to speak to her but Dolores was pulling him to the center of the floor. Each time they passed their eyes met.

"Why won't you dance with me?" He yelled across the floor to her.

"You haven't asked?" She replied.

"You weren't here," he said as he turned Dolores.

"I've been waiting here the whole time," she said.

He was trying to the leave the floor. He wasn't comfortable being the center of attention but Dolores was pushing him harder to the middle.

"Minerva!" He cried as he sat up in bed.

"Yes," she replied from a chair near the window.

Tully looked around the room. Light was coming through the window. Minerva was sitting in a small chair near the window. He was in his bedroom. He looked at his hands. They were clear. He wasn't dreaming.

"How long have you been here?" He asked as he ran his hand through his hair.

"I've been waiting here-" she started to say but his head snapped in her direction. She had just said that to him in his dream. "I've been waiting here for you to wake up. You didn't report to work this morning. It is nearly two."

"Why didn't anyone wake me?" Tully asked frantically. He wanted to get out of bed but he wasn't wearing any clothes. He would have to ask Minerva to leave. "What happened?"

"Having a good dream were you?" She asked with a smirk.

"I was dancing," he said as he strained to remember the details.

"Legilimency," Moody said as he walked through the doorway into the bedroom. He was carrying a strange device in his hands. It was metallic and approximately the size of a small paperback book. It had two small knobs on the end. "It is a Unfamiliar Magical Output Tracer. Someone was in your house. In your head." Moody concluded.


End file.
